theGrifter

R o y a l S t . G e o r g e’ s C o l l e g e
Year II Issue III Summer 2010
 theGrifter
Editorial Board Photo Credits
cover: RSGC GALLERY-Mr. Stevens, Adapted by
Michael Lemanski page 1 (all): RSGC GALLERY-Mr.
Nick Medline Managing Editor Stevens page 3: RSGC GALLERY-Mr. Stevens
page 4 (all): RSGC GALLERY-Mr. Stevens page 9 (all):
Ben McLaughlin page 9 (emblem): WIKIPEDIA page 10
(all): RSGC GALLERY-Mr. Stevens, Adapted by
Michael Lemanski page 15 (all): RSGC GALLERY-Mr.
Stevens page 18 (all): RSGC ARCHIVES page 21(all):
Michael Lemanski Layout and Design
RSGC GALLERY-Mr. Stevens back cover: RSGC
GALLERY, Adapted by Michael Lemanski

Staff Supervisor

Ms. Somerville

Contributors Official Royal St. George’s College Publication

Chris Comparey
Daniel Davidson-Kalmar
James Elder To contact theGrifter please email :
Daniel Gold-Bersani
Nick Medline - Managing Editor
Michael Lemanski
nmedline@rsgc.on.ca
Greg McDonald
Nick Medline Ms. Somerville - Staff Supervisor
jsomerville@rsgc.on.ca
Andrew Mok
Graham Muncaster If you have an opinion on anything in
David Perl The Grifter, or have a new idea, we
encourage you to submit an article or
Kjell Pladsen
letter to the editor.
Andrew Savory
Jordan Yan
 Page 2 theGrifter

G
Table of Contents

Maximillian Kalmar" " " 14

Featured Columns
Daniel Davidson-Kalmar
From the Editor’s Desk! ! 3
Nick Medline Sports

It’s a Revolution Comrade! 5 A Problem of Prehistoric

Michael Lemanski Proportions " " " " 16
Andrew Savory
Arts and Culture
Student Activities
Grifter TV Series Review" " 5
Nick Medline What’s ‘New‘ in the Archives! 17
Greg McDonald
A Burger in Paradise" " 7
David Perl GSA"" " " " " 19
Andrew Mok
It’s Red Time! ! ! ! 10
Graham Muncaster DJ Club" " " " " 19
Kjell Pladsen
Creative Fiction
Captain’s Log Stardate: 2010!19
A Solitary Mind"" " " 10 Daniel Gold-Bersani
Jordan Yan
A Letter to the (Textbook)
Fire at the Gate" " " 12 Editors" " " " " 20
Sean Kim
Chris Comparey
Page 3 theGrifter
I!d like to begin by thanking everyone involved in this

From the year!s Grifter. I have been honoured to edit and

publish an abundance of phenomenal articles
touching on various subjects relevant to our lives and

Editor’s Desk interests. Thanks especially to Ms. Somerville, our

staff supervisor, who completes final edits and
supervises our every move. Also, Michael Lemanski
" Nick Medline should be commended for diligently working to
consistently create a sparkling and innovative

! “ I also hope to design. Overall, I!d like to thank everyone for their
continuing support, and will give it my all to build
collaborate with a number of greater editions next year.

experienced writers willing to

ifter
theG
r dition
s
go on assignments and bring Cont
inuing
Tra
9

Era,
n 200

New

RSGC events to paper”

Autum

With a unique opportunity to develop The Grifter for a

second year, there are a number of changes and
improvements that I aim to accomplish. The main
objective is to bring focus back to school-related
articles, such as successful sports teams and
student initiatives. I also hope to collaborate with a
number of experienced writers willing to go on
assignments and bring RSGC events to paper. This
e
Colleg
would allow for greater consistency, and these staff St Ge
orge’s
I
Royal Issue
Year II
writers could provide opinions on daily functions and
structural alterations. Another focus will be improved
timeliness in all steps of editing, including more

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stringent deadlines and quicker transition towards
the printer. With that being said, I encourage all
those who wish to improve The Grifter to submit er
articles, contribute ideas, and assist in any way
possible.
This issue has a particular focus on creative writing
from various grades. These range from David Perl-
whose superior articles will be missed as he
graduates- commenting on a delicious hamburger to
grade nine Sean Kim!s brilliantly written play. Also,
first time contributors Graham Muncaster and
Andrew Mok discuss the “Free the Children” trip and Roya
l St. G
Year eor
the Gay Straight Alliance, respectively, which are two II Iss
ue
g e’ s C
olleg
e
II Wint
er 20
excellent student inspired initiatives. 10
 Page 4 theGrifter

The U18 Rugby Team won the

School News Headlines

CISAA Championship defeating

Lakefield in a tough game.
The final score was 14 - 7.
RSGC hosted the Toronto
Student Film Festival at the
Regent Theater. The event was a
great success thanks to the very
dedicated student organizers.

Our school’s intermediate Reach for

the Top team placed second in the
Toronto West League. We also hosted
the R42T National Championships,
which was attended by successful
schools from all across the country.

Last but not least, the Class of

2010 surprised everybody with a
very creative grad prank.
Page 5
It’s a Revolution
Comrade
" Michael Lemanski
! “Many expected the Tea
Party to fade away. It didn’t.”
Here we go again. The elections in the United States
are beginning to heat up, as Canadian politicians
become less and less talked about every day.
Everything seems to be in place for another typical
election year in the American bi-annual cycle. There
are however, two words that make this election
unlike any in recent history—TEA PARTY. This once
fringe movement was thrust into the national
spotlight by the 2009 bank bailout and the
Obamacare reforms, when people of various political
persuasions banded together to oppose high taxes
and big government. The movement was widely
reported on while Congress debated the healthcare
bill, but when it was signed into law, many expected
the "Tea Party! to fade away. It didn!t.
Despite being embraced by polarizing figures such
as Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh, the movement!s
demographics are in line with those of the United
States as a whole. The only difference is that the
"Tea Party! members and supporters are slightly
more educated and wealthy than the general
population. This truth stands in stark contrast to the
image of the movement that the Democrats have
attempted to create. Those mustered around the
ideals of small government and personal
responsibility are not the misguided hillbillies that
opponents portray them as. According to a recent
Gallup poll, 28% of Americans associate with the
"Tea Party,! and almost half are registered as
independents—the group that swung the vote in
favor of President Obama in 2008.
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It is already clear that the group is having an effect
on American politics. Recently, Rand Paul defeated
Jim Bunning in the Kentucky Republican Senate
Primary by riding a wave of "Tea Party! support.
Despite his libertarian position with regards to parts
of the Civil Rights Act and the subsequent attempt by
Democrats to falsely label him as a racist, Paul!s
support remains high.
The "Tea Party! has also had subtle effects on
Democratic primaries, such as when Joe Sestak
defeated heavily favoured Senator Arlen Specter.
Sestak was given an advantage by the anti-
incumbent mood prevalent at the moment, and this
indicates that the highly partisan nature of the
primaries has provoked anti-establishment groups
from both sides of the political spectrum to go to the
polls.
Although the effect of the "Tea Party! vote in
November remains to be seen, one thing is certain.
The movement has changed the choice of
candidates voters now have. The mid-term elections
will be a real measure of how many independent
voters subscribe to the "Tea Party! and its principles.
If they succeed, then we can truly say, “It!s a
revolution, comrade!”
TV Review
" Nick Medline
On April 11th, millions of viewers were on the edge of
their seats for “Part Five” of HBO!s The Pacific, yet
egregiously turned off their sets prior to the premiere
of Treme, David Simon and Eric Overmyer!s newest
drama based on post-Katrina New Orleans.
Beginning with the succinct caption, “New Orleans,
Louisiana/Three Months After,” viewers are
immediately led to understand that the city is
struggling to return to its pre-hurricane state. While
refraining from becoming overly political and
sentimental, Simon (The Wire) has created a
potential masterpiece deep in character development
that brims with lush cinematography and catchy local
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jazz. Despite the sorrowful fact that many individuals
have been unable to return to their destroyed homes
due to the government!s failure to adequately right
the current state of the city, New Orleans! inhabitants
are proud and persistent in restoring their lives, and
Treme serves as a testament to the human spirit.
The show succeeds in using different perspectives
from an ensemble cast to create a poignant and
realistic final product that delves into problems
unseen by the general public in the aftermath of the
Featured Columns
hurricane. John Goodman is on the mark in his
portrayal of Creighton Burnette, a professor at
Tulane currently out of work as the university has yet
to re-open. One thing that never seems out of work is
Burnette!s mouth, and he resorts to using an early
style of YouTube in making pleas to the government.
He quickly earns admiration from the general public,
and despite his rough exterior (it is the cantankerous
John Goodman, after all), is an excellent husband to
wife Toni (Melissa Leo). As a lawyer, Toni
encounters the shocking failure of the police
department to maintain peace and order. Some of
the more revealing scenes find department heads
explaining their situations to Toni, and she discovers
that many policemen suffer from many of the same
post-Katrina problems as the rest of the population,
and have no motivation to do their jobs properly.
Though several of these scenes invoke sympathy, no
pity can be found in the powerful and high-strung bar
owner LaDonna Williams (Khandi Alexander), who
uses Toni as a vehicle to search for her long lost
brother. Joining the cast of powerful women in
Treme, restaurant owner Janette Desautel (Kim
Dickens) appears to have the most passion and
talent yet is victimized by the devastating economic
climate.
Perhaps the most entertaining and lovable character
in Treme is Davis McAlary (the irrepressible Steve
Zahn), a quintessential rebel. Over the course of just
five episodes, he steals back his record collection,
condemns his neighbours! gentrifying tendencies,
and proclaims his intention to run for city council.
Davis never shies away from scribbling down lyrics
on his living room wall and performs offbeat songs at
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every opportunity, even paying local musicians to join
him in a rendition of the anti-government tune:
“Shame, shame, shame on you, now Dubya!”
Beneath his eccentric nature, Davis epitomizes the
optimism of many locals and never ceases to live his
life to the fullest. Another unique New Orleans
character is Albert Lambreaux (Clarke Peters), the
leader of a Mardi Gras Indian tribe. Lambreaux
patiently waits for his congregation to return home,
and works to restore his decimated bar and
organizes events to unite the decaying
neighbourhood. The most memorable scene of the
show thus far arises when Lambreaux and his
people sing traditional chants to pay homage to a
deceased tribe member. Suddenly, a tour bus titled
“Hurricane Katrina Tour” disrupts the proceedings as
tourists take photos of the sight. Lambreaux
approaches the bus driver, and as calmly as
possible, says, “Drive away from here, sir.” The
episode concludes with the lasting image of
Lambreaux and his tribe disdainfully watching the
bus pull away. Without making grand statements, the
show points out the unintentional disrespect of
clueless tourists who paid to watch others suffer in
the wake of a storm.
Treme without music would be an inaccurate
representation of New Orleans culture; so many
characters represent the scope of the jazz scene.
The Wire-alum Wendell Pierce emerges in a main
role with his striking portrayal of Antoine Batiste, a
local trombone player. Batiste is seemingly always
broke, always cheating on his common-law spouse,
yet despite these missteps, each character is
touched by his vulnerability and charm. Batiste!s
passion for his city is unparalleled, and while waiting
for treatment in the emergency room after being
unfairly beaten by the police, he sings, “I have
roamed this whole wide world over, but New Orleans
is still my home.” On the other end of the musical
spectrum is the unlikely couple, comprised of
scrappy keyboard player Sonny (Michiel Huisman)
and phenomenal violinist Annie (Lucia Micarelli).
They busk on the streets and live an uninterrupted
life of music, but their relationship is not without
troubles. While their musical paths frequently
Page 7
diverge, their loyalty to one another is put to the test.
On one of Sonny!s trips to Houston, he resumes his
drug addiction, and with other men vying for Annie!s
heart, his patience and stability has waned in recent
episodes. Adding to the array of musical characters
are many guest appearances. With Elvis Costello,
Kermit Ruffins, John Boutte, Tom McDermott, and
many others contributing to Treme!s musical depth,
the show is certain to promote home-grown music to
its viewers, many of whom are hearing the style for
the first time.
It is rare that a show like Treme arrives on the scene
with a powerful message, brilliant cast, and all the
intangibles necessary to develop into the next small
screen classic. Rich dramatic scenes are contrasted
with a light and humourous musical undertone for a
stunning balance. Grifter faithful, you can wait five
years until Treme grows into a must-see, but anyone
who is anybody should begin to catch up quickly or
wait for its hotly anticipated DVD release.
A Burger in
Paradise
" David Perl
Take the best burger you!ve ever had, look at it for a
moment and then throw it in the trash. Why?
Because chances are, it probably doesn!t even come
close to the gourmet, mouth-watering patty that
you!re about to be let in on. This is a burger that tips
the scales of deliciousness so vastly, that not only
will you have to travel almost ten thousand miles to
simply arrive at the kitchen where it!s crafted, but
you!ll also have to spend around ten hours of your
life in an airplane to get there. It!s a burger from a
place where the sun always shines, the faraway
"Aloha State,! specifically located on the island of
Maui where it resides in the Marriott Ocean Club in
Ka!anapali.
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On the menu, it appears as the J.W. Marriott Burger.
As we were told, Mr. Marriott himself orders it upon
traveling to his Maui establishment. When I sunk my
teeth into that first bite almost six years ago, I
instantly gave it the title “God Among Burgers.” To
call it simply "delicious! would be a gross
understatement, for there are people who refer to Big
Macs as being so. Believe me when I say that no
quarter inch sloppy patty sitting under a heat lamp for
three hours, flipped by some acne-ridden seventeen-
year-old teenager can even compare to this burger.
We!re talking thick, sirloin beef, cooked to perfection,
in my case well-done with a crunchy outer layer,
topped with a layer of melted Swiss cheese, chunky
tomatoes, crisp lettuce, red onions, a dollop of
ketchup, Dijon mustard and mayo, all perfectly
sandwiched between the fluffiest ciabatta buns you
can possibly imagine. Fries are a standard, and
they!re just as heavenly as the burger itself. Real,
fresh cut fries towered like skyscrapers in their cup-
like container, with a crispy, browned skin, none of
those soggy, over salted, stringy letdowns from
McDonald!s.
The only thing that makes the journey to get to this
meal all the more worth while is the location and
scenery. First off it!s Maui, Hawaii, so right off the
bat, you can expect perfect weather and breathtaking
views, but the restaurant at the Marriott Ocean Club
in Ka!anapali elevates this even further. It!s
completely open to the elements, save for the ceiling,
and rests three stories up overlooking the hotel!s
expansive, golf course-like lawn that stretches out to
a white sandy beach licked by the crystal clear,
aquamarine waves of the Pacific. The first time I was
introduced to this tropical paradise was with my
parents when I was thirteen, and I can guarantee
that the memories of the food and the views will not
be short lived, as they!re still as vivid as ever.
So, if you ever find yourself on the island of Maui
with a lei around your neck and a growling stomach,
make a trip to Ka!anapali and visit the Marriott Ocean
Club to order a J.W.
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The Grade 11
Outdoor Education
and Leadership Trip
School Trip
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中
国
 Page 10
It’s Red Time
" Graham Muncaster
! Graham describes the
community service trip to
Sichuan Province, China.
Visiting China, the largest country in the world, with
Arts and Culture
the largest group of students in our school!s history
created a truly unique experience for those on this
year!s service trip. Joining up with Free the Children,
one of the only foreign charities working in China, we
achieved great success both at the build site and
throughout the country. Starting our trip in Beijing,
the northern capital of China, served as the perfect
culture shock to begin our two weeks. Visiting The
Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Canadian
International School in Beijing are the first few things
that come to mind when recalling the remarkable city.
Some of us have waited years to visit these sites,
and seeing them all within a couple of days was
something special. Our next stop was Chengdu, the
Capital of the Sichuan Province. This part of the trip
was remembered for its spicy cuisine, numerous
markets and our visit to the Panda sanctuary.
As our tourist oriented days in the big cities came to
an end for the time being, we prepared to visit one of
the most rural locations in China. A small town
named Aluo in the Sichuan Province affected by the
earthquake two years back was where our group
prepared to dig the foundation for a much needed
new school. A staggering language barrier was in
place due to the village!s native language Yi, which
we learned a bit of, but was still difficult to
understand. However, a large game of “octopus”
broke the ice and a week full of pick axing, digging,
shoveling and playing with the kids ensued. The
week finished with a closing ceremony where
speeches were made, the school kits were given out
along with lollipops, and our group sang the farewell
song.
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The last few days of the trip were packed with
traveling and visiting sites in Guilin and Hong Kong.
Guilin, which is renowned for its scenery and is
situated on the west bank of the Li River, lived up to
reputation. Hong Kong was a great mix between
urban life and beautiful scenery, and was the ideal
way to end our trip. We!d like to thank the school,
especially the very devoted grade six class, for
making this possible. As a school we raised:
• $20,000 for Free the Children
• $3500 for YPI/Toskan
• $3500 for a new RSGC bursary
A Solitary Mind
" Jordan Yan
The girl is the only one in the world. This world is an
island, green with an endless field of grass. There
are no animals. A castle is located in the center of a
large plain. Its origins are unknown; it has been here
as long as the girl, and she has been here since the
world!s creation. There is no known beginning or
end; it seems as if the world has always been here.
She is not sad, because she has not felt happiness
before. She is not lonely, because she has never
had company. She lives her life without emotion.
She is not upset, because she has never felt
anything else before. In the beginning, she was
hungry. She starved, until she learned that food in
the castle was edible. She learned that she needed
to stay warm, eat food, and sleep. She learned her
own survival.
There was a large library in the castle. The books
contained knowledge about an infinite number of
subjects. It was almost as if the library contained the
knowledge of a whole other world. She read many
books about many different subjects, but all these
things seemed unreal. The books mentioned people
of a society that she did not understand. She did
not think much about these things. Ultimately, these
were fantasies to her, something she had never
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experienced.
Every day was nearly identical; nothing seemed to
set a day apart from the rest. She thought nothing
much of it. Eventually she lost track of time. She
didn!t think it mattered.
“After all,” she thought, “what makes a day worth
remembering?” It was not uncommon for her to take
a walk on the beach. It was usually inconsequential.
“Going outside is good for you,” she had read.
She didn!t question knowledge from books, as there
was no reason to suggest otherwise. This time,
however, things were different. A small, feathered
creature could be seen flying in the cloudless sky. It
moved gracefully, soaring through the sky, free from
all bounds. She had read about these creatures
before. They were called birds. The bird became
larger and larger, until it jauntily landed in the wet,
ocean sand. The girl quietly observed the bird.
Gathering courage, she walked up to the bird and
stroked its feathers. The bird chirped in delight. The
girl and the bird played. The bird sung for the girl
with its serene voice. The girl played tag with the
bird. The bird spread its wings, and so did the girl.
For the first time, the girl had fun. For the first time,
the girl felt happiness. She brought the bird back to
the castle. She returned to her room, opened the
windows, and looked upon the heavens. She named
out constellations to the bird, and the bird listened
intently. Feeling tired, she laid down on her bed.
She wished the bird good night, and fell asleep.
The next morning was a typical one. She awoke at
her leisure, leaving the bed when the sun was high in
the sky. She looked for the bird from the previous
day. She searched, and searched, but the creature
was nowhere to be found. A feeling of melancholy
filled her mind. She did not know why, but the
absence of the bird was the cause of the feeling. For
the first time, the girl felt sadness.
Weeks passed. Every day, life continued, but the
sadness persisted. She did not know why. It was
only a bird, and it could not speak to her. However,
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this did not matter. What mattered was she felt it,
and she couldn!t dispel the feeling.
She decided to venture to the forest. The forest was
not far from the castle; it would only take a half-day!s
walk to arrive. The forest was clearly displayed on a
map in the castle, but she had never dared to visit
before. She planned to set out early, but did not
leave until it was almost noon. She packed a bag of
food for the day, and followed the path to the forest.
By the time she reached the forest, the sun was
already low in the sky.
She ate the food that she packed, left the forest, and
started the lengthy journey home. Clouds had begun
to roll over. The temperature abruptly dropped, and
sheets of white began to cover the ground. The
green plains turned white, becoming a frozen
wasteland in minutes. The girl felt frozen daggers
bite into her skin. By the time she reached the
castle, she was almost completely frozen. Icicles
hung from her hair, and a thin layer of ice covered
her face. For the first time, she felt pain.
After that day, the girl did not dare to venture out of
the castle. She spent her time in the library, reading
of another world, one with many people and animals.
She was immersed in this fantasy world, a world
spent with others. She yearned for company,
someone to spend time with. She felt sad. She felt
pain. And for the first time, she felt loneliness. And
so she painted. There were many items in the
castle, and eventually she found the items necessary
for painting. She painted a world without loneliness.
She painted a world without sadness. She painted a
world without pain. She painted her ideal world. A
world where people lived happily with each other in
bliss.
She painted and painted. She painted everything.
Cities, countrysides, oceans, and forests. She
created a home for herself. She created people and
animals surrounding her. She painted her world.
No matter how much she painted, she still felt lonely
and sad. The world called out to her. It called her
name, which she had forgotten long ago. She
reached out, but could not enter the world of the
 Page 12
paintings. The girl looked inside the paintings. She
saw people happy. She saw people fulfilled. She
saw a world without pain. She realized that she
could never have these things. A strange feeling
enveloped her. She could not describe what it was.
She wondered why the people in the paintings lived
so happily. She felt raging jealousy, jealousy she
could not control.
And so she burned them. All the paintings engulfed
in a fireball of hatred. Tears fell from her eyes. For
the first time, she cried.
Creative Fiction
The fire spread. The castle burned, and her world
crumbled. The entire world was set aflame. At the
end of it all, she was still the only one. For the first
time, she realized what a terrible world this was.
The Fire
in the Gate
" Sean Kim
A decadent drawing room, a fire smolders in a brick
mantle. The fire is small, almost dead, yet it seems to
provide an inordinate amount of light. Two men of
equal age recline in luxurious robes in large heavily
upholstered chairs. Emmanuel holds a decanter of
wine; Cyril is drinking carbonated spring water.
# CYRIL: How!s your wine?
EMMANUEL: (Sips) Bitter. Like sacrifice.
# CYRIL: What did you expect?
# # (Silence)
EMMANUEL: The fire!s bright tonight. How nostalgic.
# CYRIL: Yes. It certainly stirs memories,
# doesn!t it? (Silence) But it…ah…it
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# seems to be going out, doesn!t it?
EMMANUEL: Why, you!re certainly right. (Perplexed,
mumbling) But that can!t be right… Stoked it so well,
last time…
# CYRIL: (Idly) Get up and throw some kindling
# on it, won!t you?
EMMANUEL: Well, you know very well I won!t do
that, not after what happened last time.
# CYRIL: What happened last time? Refresh
# my memory.
EMMANUEL: I think… I think they beat me.
# CYRIL: Oh, is that all?
EMMANUEL: (Vexed) What do you mean, is that all?
I!d like to see you go through that kind of treatment!
#
#
CYRIL: Calm down, calm down. I meant
nothing by it. You!d do anything for me,
# anyways.
EMMANUEL: That!s beside the point. It still hurt.
# CYRIL: It hurt?
EMMANUEL: Of course it hurt! And I even asked you
for help in the end, and you utterly ignored me! They
were quite thorough.
# CYRIL: (Defensively) Well, not utterly… And I
# was just the tiniest bit late, but you never let it
# go! And I even helped you up, in the end…
EMMANUEL: (Begrudgingly) Well… It!s not even
really that, it!s just that I was really trying to help
them.
# CYRIL: I suppose I must shoulder some of
# the blame for that. I sent you to them after all.
# (Pours Emmanuel more wine.)
Page 13
EMMANUEL: Why did you do that? They clearly
weren!t going to listen. Uncultured ruffians, all!
# CYRIL: (Shrugs) The house needed filling.
# You can do nothing with voids but fill
# them. And the fire burned brightly after that.
EMMANUEL: Fair, fair… (Silence) Do you…do you
remember Ruach?
# CYRIL: (Contemplating) Ruach…Ruach…The
# name rings a bell, but I can!t seem to place it.
EMMANUEL: A consort of yours, wasn!t he?
# CYRIL: Not a consort, more of a… a
# mediator, rather.
EMMANUEL: He sat with us on nights like this. His
company was pleasant.
# CYRIL: Oh, yes, I remember, on the odd
# occasion. When he was here, the fire was
# bright. And he talked to those “ruffians.” Quite
# good at it, too, I might add.
EMMANUEL: Good at what? Fires? Or talking to the
ruffians?
# CYRIL: Both.
EMMANUEL: (Silence) I miss him.
# CYRIL: There!s not much to be done about
# that, then.
EMMANUEL: Shall I fetch more wood? I!m feeling
chilled.
# CYRIL: There!s no wood to be had.
EMMANUEL: Ah, yes. (Silence) I miss him.
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# CYRIL: Do you remember what happened to
# him?
EMMANUEL: No, what happened? Did they kill him?
# CYRIL: In a sort. They forgot him.
EMMANUEL: Ah, yes.
# # (Silence)
EMMANUEL: It!s such a shame they killed him. Did
they try to save him?
# CYRIL: No. They never realized their
# intransigence was fatal.
EMMANUEL: And so the fire died.
# CYRIL: Yes.
EMMANUEL: What happened, when he died?
# CYRIL: They lost their faith.
# # (Silence)
EMMANUEL: Might he be revived?
# CYRIL: Perhaps. It will take a bit of effort.
# Might just take a bit of sacrifice.
# # (Silence.)
EMMANUEL: Very well. Shall we adjourn?
# CYRIL: If you wish.
They rise, Cyril begins to exit stage left. He pauses
when he notices Emmanuel is not with him.
Emmanuel is back at the grate, looking down at his
wine as he swirls it, thoughtfully. He hesitates, and
then throws the remainder of his glass, nearly full,
into the fire. It flares up immediately.
 Page 14
Maximillian
Kalmar
" Daniel Davidson-Kalmar
This piece was originally produced for a
Grade 11 English family history assignment.
Creative Fiction
My great grandfather Maximillian Bertalan Kalmar,
like many other respectable Jews in Czechoslovakia,
would visit the German-speaking resort of Carlsbad
every year for relaxation and a cure that consisted of
drinking the bitter mineral water from the local
springs.
“Tell me,” he asked the chambermaid one day, “are
there any anti-Semites in this town?”
“Oh no,” the woman replied, “not during the tourist
season!”
Maximillian, or “Max”, was born in 1884 in the town
of Zlaté Moravce, which is now in Slovakia but was
once Austria-Hungary. His father was a local baker.
Many Jews living in Hungary wanted to become
more Hungarian, and it is likely that it was Max!s
father who changed the family name from Kohn to
Kalmar.
As Max grew up, he became an important member of
the town community. He owned a stone mine, a
printing business, a bakery and other businesses. He
was the first in the Republic of Czechoslovakia to
use machines in the production of matza, and his
transportation business was the first in town to use
trucks rather than horsepower. Max was a member
of a mostly Jewish liberal political party and was its
acting representative at the city council. A generous
man, he would follow Jewish customs and allow a
stranger to eat with his family every Shabbat on
Friday night. He had served as a quartermaster
when World War One broke out in 1914, providing
the Austro-Hungarian forces with supplies.
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After the war, Czechoslovakia was founded as a
country, and business was good for a while. But
eventually, anti-Semitic sentiment grew, and Max!s
bakery burned down in an incident that was never
fully explained. In 1939, the Allies broke their alliance
with Czechoslovakia, the country fell apart, and
Slovakia allied itself with Nazi Germany.
In 1941, Max!s business was taken over by an
“Aryan” named Recky. Luckily, Mr. Recky decided to
help, and attempted to obtain permits allowing Max
and his family to stay and work for him instead of
being taken away to concentration camps. While this
worked for some family members, Max!s three
daughters and eldest son were deported and never
heard of again. Their names appear on the list of
Auschwitz victims.
In 1944, a message was delivered to the bakery to
announce that my great grandfather and
grandmother were no longer needed for work. They,
along with all other Jews who remained in the area
were moved into a ghetto, where they were forced to
live under terrible conditions. After this point, there
are few documents left, and the rest of the story is
based mostly on conjecture. It must have been clear
to Max and his wife that if something were not done
they would most likely be killed. It is rumoured that
Max took his wife to the forest to seek shelter with
rebels who were fighting the government.
Unfortunately, they were discovered, and around this
time there is an arrest record for Max filed by the
Slovak police. They were put in jail until the Slovak
authorities gave them to a German special
commando. The commando took them, along with a
number of other Jews, to a field near a small town
called Kremnicka. Once they arrived they were told
that they could go free. As they walked away, Max,
along with everyone else there, was shot from
behind by a Slovak unit hired by the Germans.
After the war, my grandfather, who had escaped to
Hungary, returned to Slovakia to identify the bodies
of his parents. He was able to identify his father by
his ID, but the corpse he identified as his mother was
too badly mutilated to be recognized with certainty.
Page 15 theGrifter
The Grifter congratulates all of those who
received the Sacrament of Confirmation this year.
 Page 16
A Problem of
Prehistoric
Proportions
" Andrew Savory
“In recent weeks, [Bosh]
posted on his widely
followed twitter account
Sports
@chrisbosh, 'Should I stay or
should I go?’”
Ever since their entry into the NBA back in 1995, the
Toronto Raptors have had two players who have
been nicknamed as animals. Those two players are
Jerome Williams, The Junkyard Dog and Chris Bosh,
The Brontosaurus. During the time in which Jerome
Williams was in Toronto, he was consistently praised
by fans for his tenacity and commitment. It was clear
that he loved Toronto and if it weren!t for a sudden
trade with the Chicago Bulls, he most likely would
have stayed. Chris Bosh is a different story, as when
he arrived in Toronto he brought a sense of optimism
with him. This seemed to glow from within his
originally wiry 6!10”, 215 lb. frame. When Vince
Carter was practically run out of Toronto by a
notoriously sinister fan base, Chris Bosh was
heralded as the “New Hope,” and we!re not talking
Star Wars here. His mid-range jump shot had
become a trademark and the once quiet, baby-faced
and apprehensive power forward had turned into a
glorified basketball saint in Toronto. Unfortunately,
times of prosperity in sports come to an end.
After being brutally dispatched at the hands of an up
and coming Orlando Magic squad in five games in
theGrifter
the 2008 Playoffs, and missing the playoffs in 2009,
questions began to arise regarding Bosh!s contract
and whether he would remain in Toronto after the
2010 season. On April 20, 2009, General Manager
Bryan Colangelo announced that he would offer
Bosh a contract extension during the off-season – a
proposal that Bosh would later reject. In an effort to
convince Bosh to stay, Colangelo assembled a team
that appeared to be destined for resurgence in the
Eastern Conference standings. However, in typical
Toronto sports fashion, the team underachieved and
players were left in a state of disarray after dropping
several spots out of contention in the final weeks of
the regular season. Ultimately, it can be said that
whichever jersey Chris Bosh dons at the start of next
season, rest assured that it won!t be a Raptors
jersey.
This summer, we can expect to see Chris Bosh run
out of town in a way similar to Vince Carter!s fall from
grace. In 2004, Vince Carter went public with his
frustration regarding the management of the Toronto
Raptors. In a private meeting with Maple Leafs
Sports and Entertainment President, Richard Peddie,
Carter claimed that Peddie told him the team would
make strong steps towards acquiring beneficial free
agents such as Jamaal Magloire and Steve Nash,
and interview Julius Erving for a possible position as
General Manager of the team. To Carter!s dismay,
the team would ultimately select Rafael Araujo with
the 8th pick in the NBA Entry Draft to reaffirm the
Raptors! intentions of rebuilding. Eventually, Carter
was impulsively dealt for a journeyman, a wash-up,
and a couple of throw-ins along with a bag of
basketballs. The reason for this spur of the moment
deal? Carter practically had a target on the back of
his head. With that being said, Chris Bosh is
currently in a very similar situation.
In recent weeks, he posted on his widely followed
twitter account @chrisbosh, “Should I stay or should
I go?” Moreover, Bosh would proceed to change his
location to “everywhere” and his employer to
“unknown.” Actions such as these lead us to believe
that although the fans may not have made up their
minds as to whether they want Bosh to remain a
Page 17
Raptor, it is evident that Chris certainly has decided,
and in the long run, is this such a bad thing after all?
It!s safe to say that Chris Bosh!s tenure with the
Raptors is essentially over, so allow me to use the
past tense. When put in focus, Vince Carter and
Chris Bosh!s careers with the Toronto Raptors are
actually very similar. Each player spent seven years
with the team; both were drafted in the top five, both
made the playoffs twice, but failed to advance past
the second around and both left Toronto in an
apparent rush. Furthermore, both had once
proclaimed that they would bring good fortune and
success to the team, but this was simply a
proclamation that neither player could fulfill.
With Bosh!s departure, the team will either pen a
sign-and-trade deal to get some form of
compensation in return for a perennial all-star, or the
Raptors can let Bosh leave on his own to test his
luck in free agency and hope for the best at the draft
(with the 0.6 % chance they have of obtaining the
first overall pick). Maybe this will be the summer that
a Toronto sports team actually does something right
for once. You never know: accidents do happen.
When Bosh returns to Toronto, don!t be surprised if
he!s greeted with a symphony of “boos.” People say
that you!re only as good as your last game, and
Bosh!s last game was a 2 minute, 8 second effort in
which Toronto lost pitifully to a ineligible playoff team
in the Golden State Warriors, as he suffered a
season ending injury. If five words could sum up
Bosh!s career with the Raptors, it would most likely
be, “A unfortunate return on investment.”
theGrifter
What’s ‘New’
in the Archives?
" Greg McDonald
! “On the website, there is
a digital version of every
[yearbook] edition from the
inaugural copy in 1968/1969
to the most recent in
2008/2009”
It is with great pleasure that the Royal St. George!s
Archives introduces a new resource for Georgians
past and present. In collaboration with the Internet
Archive- a non-profit digital library dedicated to
providing universal access to information- all of the
past editions of the school yearbook, The Georgian,
are now posted. On the website, there is a digital
version of every edition from the inaugural copy in
1968/1969 to the most recent in 2008/2009. Every
archived book can be read online, downloaded in
PDF, or uploaded onto your Kindle. A format for the
blind is also available.
Every scan has been done with a Canon 5D camera
at the University of Toronto's Robarts Library, where
the Internet Archive houses its Canadian facility. The
pages in the online yearbooks are in high quality
PDF form. You can zoom in to see pictures more
clearly and flip page by page through every book.
When on the new website, you can search by page
to find what you are looking for. You can also search
using a keyword and find 90% of the instances your
name appears in the book. To find your name in the
book, you choose a yearbook to 'read online' and
then type in your name in the search window and
click 'search'. Of course, the Archives will keep all of
Student Activties
Page 18 theGrifter
Page 19
the print editions of The Georgian, but I encourage
everyone to check out the new resource online.
So far this year, the Royal St. George!s College
Archives has dug up many old ties worn at different
points in the school's history, which many students in
the school have been donning recently. This year, a
new tie has been designed for all of the alumni of the
school. The tie is blue with red, gold and white
stripes on diagonals up and down the tie. Although
still in production, this will take the place of the
current alumni tie and the outgoing grade 12!s will
receive at their graduation ceremony. http://
www.archive.org/details/royalstgeorges
GSA
" Andrew Mok
Earlier this year, a club called the Gay Straight
Alliance (GSA) was started at RSGC for the first time
in the history of our school. More significantly, this
particular GSA is open to all COSSOT schools as a
way to involve both male and female perspectives in
the intimate conversations that are held within the
meetings. So far, the schools that have attended
meetings include St. Clement!s School, Bishop
Strachan School, and Branksome Hall. Each meeting
is filled with a variety of different voices and opinions
that allow the members to have authentic
conversations with one another.
As a group that is only beginning to find its place in
its participating schools, the GSA has been
successful in bringing members to the meetings and
keeping them engaged in the discussions that they
have. This progress would not have been
accomplished without the perseverance of our Year-
in-Focus prefect, Jack Keilty and our social worker
Ms. Kaye. Their continuous efforts to provide
interesting topics and activities at the meetings is
what makes our group so cohesive, despite the large
numbers that attend. The amount of trust and
understanding that our group has gained from one
another continues to amaze us all.
theGrifter
DJ Club
" Kjell Pladsen
This year!s DJ Club ran off the success of a similar
club last year, which was organized by Corey Trinetti
(!09). The members of this club were Mr. Kotecha,
Kjell Pladsen, Ethan Singal, Francis Blair, Matt
Lapinsky, and Donald Lau. We travelled to
ScratchLab© and learned from DJ Craig many
techniques that real DJs use in the field. We learned
to beat match, pitch ride, scratch, mix, and transition,
among other things. This was the beginner course of
the classes that we could have taken, and though
travelling all the way to Downsview was a trek, it was
definitely worth it. Learning to Mix and Scratch was
quite challenging at some points, and was worth all
the time we spent at the club. Bringing the culture of
hip-hop into the School was very fun and exciting,
and having guest DJs and producers coming into the
school was intellectually stimulating. We hope this
club has engaged the RSGC community in the ever-
growing hip-hop scene.
Captain’s Log
Stardate : 2010
" Daniel Gold Bersani
! “No one knows what the
future holds for the RSGC
R42T Team but it will most
likely be great things”
This year, the Reach for the Top team (more well
known as R42T) has made a splash in the RSGC
community. It is our third and, by far, best year yet.
Our lunch time meetings have seen an all time-high
 Page 20
in participation and enthusiasm. Our first meeting of
the year was so full, that we had to schedule two
days to practice. However, the R42T team still seems
to be lacking a je ne sais quoi. I thought a little bit of
history might take the veil off the mysterious team.
The Team was established in the Winter Term of the
2007-2008 School year. Ms. Ghoreshy and an elite
squad of students seeking to enhance their vast
knowledge of the universe started meeting once a
week at lunch. Slowly, interest in the clandestine
Student Activities
group grew until we could no longer keep it a secret.
Royal St. George!s College was in the Toronto
School Reach League! We competed twice a week
at schools throughout the City. Our senior team
qualified for the city finals, which they would be
eliminated from in the first round. Our first year was a
success, but that would be nothing in comparison to
the next year.
The second year (or the Second Era) saw a change
in leadership with the departure of Ms. Ghoreshy. It
was a dark time for the Team. With no leadership,
the team was on the edge of revolt but Mme. DeBlois
would step up to the challenge to lead this squad.
Now, even more people joined and the team grew in
size. The competitions continued and our senior
team once again qualified for the city finals (from
which they would be eliminated from once again in
the first round).
The Third Era (or Episode Three: Revenge of the
Buzzer) would be the biggest year for the team. With
no one to co-ordinate the Toronto League, Mme.
DeBlois was asked to join an inter-galactic
symposium to decide on who should host the teams.
With Mars and Neptune out of the question (because
of their dangerous atmospheres), it was determined
that all of the competitions be held at RSGC. Every
week, hundreds of Knowledgeers poured through our
doors to battle it out for supremacy. This year our
senior team once again qualified for the finals, but
you know the ending. Our intermediate team finished
in second out of six after defeating powerhouses,
such as UTS!s A Team.
No one knows what the future holds in place for the
theGrifter
RSGC R42T team but it will most likely be great
things and hopefully domination of the
KNOWLEDGE UNIVERSE! Until next season, Daniel
out.
Letter to the
(Textbook) Editors
" Chris Comparey
Dear Knill, Collins, Conrad, Ferneyhough, Hamilton,
Miller, Wardrop and Webb,
Although this book was overwhelmingly informative,
it is the most boring book I have ever read. The only
thing worse than the dullness of this book was how
cheesy some sections were. If your goal is to break
students! backs, I commend you because this book
is filled with useless material.
There were several problems with this book.
Sometimes, the answers in the back of the book
were wrong which throws off students, and this can
be really frustrating when they don!t want to do their
homework, but copy the back of the book instead.
The lamest parts of this book were the idiotic titles,
such as “Pattern Power,” “Modeling Math” and
“Achievement Check.” When I hear the word pattern,
I think back to my days of kindergarten when I would
look at simple diagrams of “triangle, triangle, circle,
triangle, triangle, circle, what comes next?”
Your book is terrible. Moreover, it!s cheesy, boring
and unappealing to teenagers. It was so poor that my
school discontinued using it after my grade finished
with it. Unfortunately, the used text book sale would
not take it back. I was hoping that by pointing out
your mistakes, you would understand why I loathe
your book.
Sincerely,
Chris Comparey
Page 21 theGrifter

They came... and they went...

theGrifter wishes all of our graduates the best of
luck in their future endeavors, wherever they may go.
Page 22 theGrifter

Do you disagree with or,

have a thought about
anything in theGrifter ?
If you answered yes, then

submit an article !

We encourage EVERYBODY to
write and look forward to
receiving your submissions .
grift·er /!gr"f t#r/ noun - a swindler, dishonest gambler,
or the like...

theGrifter
YEAR II ISSUE III